Wake Forest University
PAE-10: Affordability and Access Programs

Wake Forest does not participate in TRIO programs.

Wake Forest provides several programs to ensure accessibility and affordability for low-income students including: 1. Need-based Financial Aid policy ensures students from families with an annual income of $40,000 or less are guaranteed to have $4,000 or less in student loans in their financial aid package annually. 2. The Magnolia Scholars Program provides mentorship, advising, and merit aid annually for 30 students who are both First Generation college students and are also from low-income families. 3. The Merit Supplemental Scholarship provides financial support for academically gifted students from a variety of underrepresented groups. This additional merit aid reduces student and/or parental loans and is especially beneficial for students from middle class families.

1. The Office of Academic Advising employs academic counselors who steer students through their entire undergraduate tenure. Academic Counselors interact with students, faculty, and staff to ensure student needs are met. 2. The Office of the Provost manages a committee, Student Support Services, comprised of staff and academic leaders who interact frequently with underrepresented students and those from low-income families. The committee literally forms a network to address the emerging needs of an increasingly diverse student population.

The Office of Admissions employs an Associate Director of Admissions Diversity whose key responsibility is to coordinate the recruitment and admission of underrepresented students. Admissions also implements programs including: 1. Visions. Students from underrepresented groups and low-income families are invited to spend two days on the WF campus to attend classes, meet with staff and administrations, interact with Multicultural Affairs staff, etc. to establish supportive relationships, learn about the admissions process, etc. 2. MOSAICS. Students from underrepresented groups who have been admitted are invited to campus for an overnight visit to learn more about opportunities afforded to undergraduates and engage in planned activities to facilitate their preparation for higher education. 3. Proteges Mentoring Program. Offered by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Proteges is a peer mentoring program for first-year students from underrepresented groups to aid their transition to the Wake Forest community.

Need-based Financial Aid policy ensures students from families with an annual income of $40,000 or less are guaranteed to have $4,000 or less in student loans in their financial aid package annually. 2. The Magnolia Scholars Program provides mentorship, advising, and merit aid annually for 30 students who are both First Generation college students and are also from low-income families. 3. The Merit Supplemental Scholarship provides financial support for academically gifted students from a variety of underrepresented groups. This additional merit aid reduces student and/or parental loans and is especially beneficial for students from middle class families.

Parent programs are a component of the Visions Program, MOSAICS, and the Magnolia Scholars Program to ensure parents are equipped with the knowledge they need to prepare for the college admission process. During first year orientation, the Office of Multicultural Affairs also hosts a Minority Parent and Student Information Session to ensure parents are informed of academic and social support services provided to students from underrepresented groups during their undergraduate tenure.

1. Wake Forest has a need-blind admission policy wherein the family's financial status is not considered when the student is being reviewed for admission. This policy ensures academically gifted students who are economically disadvantaged have the same opportunity to attend the university as those from high-income families. 2. Wake Forest was the first top 30 ranked university to eliminate the mandatory submission of standardized test scores, including the SAT and ACT, as a part of the application for admission. This has encouraged academically gifted students from low-income families to apply for admission.

Wake Forest admission policies and programs to foster diversity have resulted in 10% First Generation students in the first year class in 2010 and 24% student of color enrollment for the past two years.

Wake Forest has a plethora of merit scholarship funds for academically gifted students. I am unaware of additional financial aid policies or programs.

All first year students are assigned a Student Orientation Advisor who partners with the faculty or staff advisor to advise students during the first two years of their academic tenure and also aid in the transition process.